Philippines: 40 m3/d Seawater Desalination Powered by Diesel Generator

Project Type: Seawater Desalination
Application: Island Freshwater Supply
Location: Bohol, Philippines
Year: 2017
System Capacity: 40 m³/day
Technology: Seawater Reverse Osmosis (SWRO)
Configuration: Skid-Mounted System

Project Overview

GlobalUF supplied a 40 m³/day skid-mounted seawater reverse osmosis system for a project on Bohol Island in the Philippines.

The project required a compact desalination solution capable of converting seawater into freshwater at an island location where freshwater availability and power supply were important project considerations.

The system was configured specifically for the project rather than selected as a fixed standard package.

Project Challenge

Island desalination projects have different design priorities from conventional inland RO systems.

For this project, the main considerations included:

• seawater as the feed-water source;
• limited local freshwater availability;
• an island project location;
• the need for compact equipment;
• pretreatment before the SWRO membranes; and
• power supply suitable for the project site.

The current project record also identifies diesel-generator power as part of the project configuration.

GlobalUF Solution

GlobalUF supplied a skid-mounted seawater desalination system based on the following treatment route:

Seawater Intake → Pretreatment → Cartridge Filtration → High-Pressure SWRO → Product Water

The project configuration included pretreatment and cartridge filtration ahead of the seawater reverse osmosis stage.

The SWRO section used seawater RO membranes to remove dissolved salts from the pretreated seawater.

A diesel generator was incorporated into the project power arrangement to support operation at the island site.

The specific membrane selection, operating pressure, recovery, chemical dosing and final product-water specification were project-specific and should not be treated as standard values for other SWRO installations.

Why a Skid-Mounted SWRO Configuration?

For small and medium desalination projects, skid-mounted construction allows major mechanical components, piping and instrumentation to be assembled into compact equipment packages before shipment.

This configuration can be considered for applications such as:

• island resorts;
• beachfront hotels;
• remote communities;
• coastal commercial projects;
• marine-support facilities; and
• EPC projects requiring an integrated SWRO equipment package.

Site preparation is still required. Feed-water connections, product-water piping, concentrate discharge, power supply, civil works and commissioning responsibilities should be confirmed for each project.

Engineering Considerations for Similar Island Projects

A 40 m³/day SWRO project cannot simply be copied to another island based on capacity alone.

Before sizing another seawater desalination system, GlobalUF normally reviews:

1. Feed-water analysis and seawater salinity
2. Required freshwater capacity
3. Intended use of the product water
4. Daily operating hours
5. Available power supply
6. Preferred automation and materials

For open-seawater intakes, additional information such as turbidity, SDI, algae, organic loading, water temperature and seasonal variation may influence the pretreatment design.

If the treated water will be used as drinking water, post-treatment such as remineralization, pH adjustment and disinfection may also need to be evaluated.

From This Project to Your SWRO Design

This Bohol project provides a reference for compact island desalination, but its project parameters are not universal SWRO specifications.

GlobalUF develops SWRO equipment according to the actual seawater conditions, water-demand profile, site constraints and project scope.

For resort and island projects requiring approximately 10–150 m³/day of freshwater, explore our Skid-Mounted SWRO Systems for 10–150 m³/day to see typical applications, configuration options and the project information needed for preliminary system selection.

Discuss Your Island or Resort SWRO Project

To prepare an initial technical recommendation, send us:

• seawater analysis, if available;
• required capacity in m³/day;
• freshwater application;
• operating hours per day;
• electrical supply; and
• installation location or site constraints.

GlobalUF
Guangzhou Globaluf Water Treatment Co., Ltd.
Email: sales@globaluf.com